Whilst "resting" after the Jerusalem battle, my battalion was detailed
for road-making. Large stones were used for the foundation of the road
and small and broken stones for the surface. Our job was to find the
stones, _assisted_ by mules.
A mule was new to Joe Smith--a great-hearted boy from Limehouse
way--but he must have heard about them for he gingerly approached the
one allotted to him, and as gingerly led him away into the hills.
Presently Joe was seen returning, but, to our amazement, he was
struggling along with the loaded baskets slung across his own
shoulders, and the mule was trailing behind. When I asked why _he_ was
carrying the load, he replied: "Well, I was loading 'im up wiv the
stones, but he cut up rusty, so to save a lot of argument, I reckoned
as 'ow I'd better carry the darned stones meself."---_A. C. Wood, 56
Glasslyn Road, N.8._